Poi-machine.



No. 809,571. PATBNTED JAN. 9, 1906. E KOPKE POI MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED No.1. 1904.

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PATENTED JAN. 9, 1906.

E KOPKE POI MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED DE01. 1904.

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No. 809,571, PATENTBD JAN. 9,1906. E. KPKE.

POI MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED DEO.1, 1904.

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f MMM UNITED STATES PATENT oEErcE.

ERNST KOPKE, OF HON OLULU, TERRITORY OF HAWAII.

POI-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 9, 1906 To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNST KPKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Honolulu, Island of Oahu, Territory of Hawaii, have invented new and useful Improvements in Poi-Machines; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact de'- scription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to machines for the manufacture of poi from the prepared tubers of the food -plant Colocassia antiquari/mt, commonly called Utaro,H and has for its object a machine that is simple and compact in design, its parts easily accessible for cleaning, and means of adjustment whereby the degree of fineness of its product may be regulated. These objects I attain in the machine illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a vertical sectional elevation with outside view of front of thebase of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents in elevation and part section a side view of same. Fig. 3 represents in plan a section through the base on the line A B in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a top plan, and Fig. 5 a bottom plan view of cylinder-head. Fig. 6 represents a vertical elevation, and Fig. 7 atop plan view of a spirally-grooved drum with beveled ends and cutters.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, the vertical body or cylinder a and its lower head b are supported by the base c. Upon the upper and open end of the cylinder ais the feeding-hopper d. Concentric with the center of the machine and extending from near the bottom of the base c to the top of the cylinder a is the shaft h, passing through the gland i. in the head Z) and through a bearing in the top of the base c. Thel foot of the shaft h rests upon a hardened steel button or upon other antifriction device in the'cup j, supported upon a lever 7c, such that the shaft h may be slightly raised or lowered by turning the hand-wheel l on the bolt m, connected to one end of the lever 7c, the other end of the lever having its fulcrum in the base c, as shown in Fig. 2. Surrounding the shaft h is a bevelgear fn., with its hub forming a sleeve journaled in the base c and fitting over a featherkey in the shaft h. The horizontal shaft o, connected to any suitable source of power, is

journaled in the rear side of the base c and has a bevel-pinion p, keyed to its end within the base, the pinion p meshing with the gear n. Surrounding the upper part of the shaft h and attached thereto is the spirally-grooved drum f, beveled at both ends, the spiral grooves being deepest at the upper end and gradually diminishing in depth as they proceed downward and ending just before the beginning of the bevel at the lower end of the drum, as shown in Fig. 6. To the upper bevel of the drum f at the edge of each groove is attached a knife or cutting edge g, three being'shown in Fig. 7. The head b is recessed to suit the bevel of the lower end of the druinf and is provided with an outlet g, a spout r, and the swing-bolts c, which permit of the quick removal of the cylinder a` from the head b. A collar s is clamped to the shaft h below the journal in the top of the base c. (Shown in Fig. 1.)

In operating the machine power is applied to the shaft o, thereby causing the shaft 7L and the drum f to revolve. The tarotubers, having been previously prepared by cleaning, boiling, and removing their skins, are then deposited in the hopper d and falling upon the upper end of the drum f are cut byv the knives g and forced downward by the screw action of the spiral grooves and outward against the inner wall of the cylinder a. The taro in its course downward as the grooves become shallower is mashed and disintergrated, and being forced between the lower beveled end of the drum f and the bevel of the recess in the head b is crushed thereby and finally is ejected through the outlet g down the spout r in the form of what is termed paiai, which by the admixture of a suitable amount of water becomes poi, the staple food of the Hawaiians.

It is necessary that the lower beveled end of the drum f and the bevel of the recess in the head b should be maintained at just the right distance apart in order that a fine smooth product may be obtained. This distance may be adjusted by raising or lowering the shaft h and drum f by means of the handwheel Z, and when so adjusted the clamp s is tightened on the shaft h (shown in Fig. l) to prevent any possible lifting of the drum It will be noted that the parts are accessible for cleaning, which is important from a hygienic standpoint, and, further, that the machine as a whole is simple and compact, requiring small floor-space.

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Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters .Patent, is-

l. A machine for making poi or the like, comprising a vertical cylindrical body, its lower head having an outlet, a feeding-hopper at top of body, a supporting-base, a centrally-located shaft, means lor revolving same, a drum mounted on the shaft within the cylinder between the hopper and head, said drum having beveled ends and spiral grooves in its surface tapering toward the lower end, and knives or cutting edges on the upper beveled end ol said drum, substantially as described.

2. In a machine for making poi and the like, the cylindrical body, a recessed head at its lower end having an outlet, a shaft revoluble within the body and carrying a spirallygrooved drum having a beveled lower end litting the recessed head, knives or cutting edges on the upper end of said drum and means for raisingl or lowering said' shaft whereby the distance between the lower end of the drum and the head may be adjusted,

substantially as described.

3. ln a machine for making poi or the like, the cylindrical body, arecessed head at its lower end, a centrally-located shaft revoluble within the body and carrying a cylindrical drum beveled at both ends and having spiral grooves in its surface between the beveled ends, and knives or cutting edges fastened to the upper beveled end of said drum, the grooves in the drum tapering toward its lower beveled end, substantially as described,

4. In a machine for making poi or the like, the combination of a vertical body having a feeding-hopper at its upper end and a central shaft and spirally-grooved drum revoluble therein, knives on the upper end of said drum, a base on which the body is mounted, a bevel-pinion supported in a sleeve-bearing in the base, a driving-gear journaled in the base above the wheel, the drum-shaft passing down into the base and through the pinion and connected thereto by a spline, a bearing for the lower end of the shaft, and means for adjusting the bearing,

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ERNST KOPKE.

Witnesses:

J. A. GOUGH, C. W. CRANDELL. 

